Massaging nozzle with means for preventing injury to flesh



Jan. 4, 1966 J. COURTIN 3,227,157

MASSAGING NOZZLE WITH MEANS FOR PREVENTING INJURY TO FLESH Filed Dec. 14, 1962 FIG- I.

IN VENTOR.

Jacques Marcel Courfin ATTORNEYS United States Patent Filed Dec. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 244,661 Claims. (Cl. 12838) The invention relates to treatment by massage or the like employing a jet of air, and is more especially directed to a nozzle designed to form the jet.

A compressed air massage installation comprises a compressed air source, usually acompressor, which is in most instances followed by an air cleaner and one or a number of nozzles or blowtubes, each of which is employed by a specialist so as to effect the treatment by directing the jet towards the part to be treated.

A nozzle is commonly made up of a single tube which is connected to the compressed air supply source, for example to the compressor, through the intermediary of the air cleaner. In certain embodiments, the end is flattened and enlarged to form a relatively narrow jet-forming outlet slit.

One object of the invention is to provide a nozzle by means of which a treatment can be given under conditions of greater convenience and safety than those which it has hitherto been possible to achieve.

Another object of the invention: is to provide a nozzle of this type, the effectiveness of which has a beneficial effect on the compression installation, especially from the point of view of overall size.

A further object of the invention is to provide a nozzle of this type, the action of which puts the patient under better conditions of comfort.

In accordance with the invention, the nozzle is such that the air-jet which is discharged therefrom and. which is derived from the compressor carries away with it a substantial quantity of ambient air which takes part in the treatment. i

In accordance with one form of embodiment, the nozzle which provides an outlet for compressedair or other gas is surrounded adjacent its discharge end by a ring which forms with said nozzle an annular space through which the ambient air isput into circulation by the jet-flow itself and accordingly mixes with this latter so as to form the gaseous stream which effects the massage treatment.

The annular section formed between the jet and the ring or ferrule is preferably designed in the form of a venturi tube, the narrow section of said venturi tube being a small distance downstream with respect to the outlet orifice through which the compressed gas jet is discharged.

Furthermore, the air which is discharged through the nozzle and which is relatively cold on account of the decrease in temperature resulting from the expansion which takes place is mixed with a substantial proportion of ambient air, the temperature of which is that of the part to be treated, thereby eliminating any disagreeable effect of cold on the person treated and avoiding any need to protect with blankets those parts of the body which are under treatment.

In addition, the annular ferrule which projects from the ejection orifice completely prevents any contact between the nozzle and any surface, esepcially the skin; the accidental closure of the outer opening of the ring has as its sole consequence a deflection of the current of gas which accordingly passes out through therear annular orifice which is formed between the nozzle and the ring.

The said ring can, moreover, be employed for the purpose of suspending the nozzle from a suitable hook,

thus positively securing said nozzle against all movement and preventing any displacement of this latter under the effect of any reaction of the jet which could arise unexpectedly.

The ring also serves the purpose of attaching a deflecting plate if so required, or any other accessory,-thereby dispensing with the need to add any element which is specially assigned to this purpose.

The invention also contemplates an embodiment in which the pipe through which the jet is discharged is slidably mounted inside a body which has preferably the shape of a handle, with the result that if the front end of the nozzle is inadvertently applied against the patients skin, apertures for the expulsion of air are then automatically uncovered. An arrangement of this type can An arrangement of this kind solves in the simplest possible manner a certain number of problems, the solution of which hitherto involved dilfculties in connection with the structural design of the installation as well as conditions of application. it

the

pressor.

The present invention also makes it possible to employ a compressor which has a smaller capacity, but which supplies a high output pressure and which is of relatively small overall size, while the ambient air which is drawn along with the escaping jet contributes to the formation of an air stream which is suflicient to ensure eflective treatment.

be used with a conventional type nozzle or with the previously described nozzle having the annular ring which has the effect of mixing the ejected air with the ambient air.

The nozzle in accordance with the invention can be employed both for the projection of pulsated or rhythmically discharged air as well as for the projection of non-pulsated a1r.

The invention will be clearly brought out by the description which follows below and which is given by way of example, reference being made therein to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a View in longitudinal cross-section of a device in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding view looking from the front end.

FIGURE 3 is a view in longitudinal cross-section at right angles to that shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a view in longitudinal cross-section which is similar to FIGURE 4 but in an alternative form.

Reference will first be made to FIGURES 1 to 3.

"In the embodiment which is illustrated, the nozzle comprises. a tube 20 or pipe, one end of which comprises coupling means, for example a screw-thread 21 permitting direct or indirect connection to a source of air under pressure. The opposite tip of said pipe is flattened, in such manner as to form an enlargement and to provide an outlet orifice or slit 22 which is limited by the two lips 23 and 24 having parallel edges, and through which is discharged the jet of air or other gas under pressure. The flattened end 25 0f the pipe 20 is surrounded by .a ring 26 having an outer contour which, as seen in crosssection, is substantially rectangular so as to correspond to the shape of the flattened tip; the said ring can be fixed by welding the walls 27 and 28 of small depth along the lateral edges of the lips 23 and 24, or alternatively by means of ribs as shown at 18 and 19. The said ring thus forms with said lips two spaces 29 and 30 and, as an advantageous feature, the internal surfaces of the long sides 31 and 32 of the ring are inclined at an angle of slope, first in one direction and then in the other direction, thus forming first convergent faces 33 and 34 and then divergent faces 35 and 36, the unit thus constituting a venturi tube, the narrow section of which is shown at 37. It is preferably ensured that the said narrow section is located downstream with respect to the outlet orifice 22. A handle surrounds a portion of the tube 20 at the upstream end of the enlarged portion 25.

The operation takes place as follows:

The nozzle is operated by gripping the handle 40 and by holding the front end thereof at a suitable distance away from the part to be treated. When the air escapes in a jet through the orifice 22 and thus forms a thin, flat tongue, it is caused under the combining-tube injection effect or Giffard effect to draw with it the air located in immediate proximity, that is, the air which is located in the interior of the ring in which suction is generated, and the ambient air follows the path shown by the arrows 1, mixes with the jet which issues from the orifice 2.2, and the fiuid thus combined is applied in the form of a gaseous stream, the cross-sectional area of which corresponds to that of the outlet orifice 38 of the ring, there being imparted to the said stream a velocity which is suitable for the purpose of treatment.

If for any reason, for example as a result of inadvertence, the device comes in contact with the skin, this latter causes an obstruction to the outlet of air, whereupon the compressed air escapes through the annular orifice 39 and flows inside the spaces 29 and 39 in the direction opposite to that which corresponds to normal operation.

Reference will now be made to FIGURE 4, which applies to an alternative form. In this alternative form the nozzle 25 forms the end of a tubular sleeve 50 which is slidably fitted inside the tube 51, the said tube 51 being connected by means of a screw-thread 52 to a source of compressed gas. A system comprising a screw 53 and elongated slot 54 ensures a rectilineal sliding motion. There are located in the sleeve 50 one or a number of apertures 55 which are in non-superposition with respect to the apertures 56 of the tube 51 when the said sleeve is held in the outwardly extended position thereof under the action of a spring 57 which is in addition applied against an annular shoulder 57. On the other hand, when pressure is applied by the front face 58 of the ring element 59 which forms with the nozzle the annular space or spaces for the entrainment of ambient air, with the result that the said sleeve is consequently thrust into the interior of the tube 51 in opposition to the action of the spring 57, the apertures 55 are accordingly brought into oppositely facing relation with the apertures 56, with the result that the compressed gases are able to escape directly.

Such an arrangement can advantageously be applied to a nozzle having a nozzle which is not provided with an annular device, and accordingly comes into operation when the front tip of the nozzle is inadvertently applied against any surface.

The invention also includes within its scope a sliding sleeve arrangement in which the outlet end of the pipe is not flattened, whether the said tip is fitted or not with a ring for the entrainment of ambient air as described in the foregoing.

Summary The invention has for its object:

(A) A blowing device for the treatment by a jet of gas, characterized by the following points considered either separately or in combination:

(1) A ring surrounds the jet issuing from the pipe or the like in such manner that the ambient air is drawn along and mixed with the jet so as to form the treatment stream;

(2) As an alternative form, the outlet nozzle is enlarged and the ring is of rectangular shape in crosssection;

(3) The internal section of the ring forms a venturi tube;

(4) The ring is positionally adjustable with respect to the nozzle.

(B) A blowing device, characterized in that the outlet nozzle is adapted to slide with elastic return movement inside a sleeve, while the tube terminating in the nozzle on the one hand and the sleeve on the other hand are provided with perforations which are displaced with respect to each other under normal operating conditions but which are brought into oppositely facing relation when the nozzle is applied against an obstacle, thereby permitting the compressed gas to escape.

While there have been described above what are presently believed to be the preferred forms of the invention, variations thereof will be obvious to those skilled in the art and all such changes and variations which fall within the spirit of the invention are intended to be covered by the generic terms in the appended claims, which are variably worded to that end.

I claim:

1. Air outlet means for an air jet massage apparatus comprising, a nozzle adapted at one end for connection to a source of compressed gas, said nozzle at its other end defining an aperture for directing air in a predetermined direction at a part of the body being treated, said defined aperture being of substantially greater length in one direction than in the transverse direction, rigid integral means solidly attached to said other end of said nozzle and projecting ahead of said nozzle a distance several times greater than said transverse direction and projecting at least over part of its periphery downstream of said aperture, said last-named means defining a wide escape means for the escape of gas at low pressure around and transversely of said aperture so as to permit said gas to fiow in a deflected direction having at least a component opposite to said predetermined direction for at least a portion of said total gas flow but only when said normal gas flow is substantially blocked by pressure contact of said last-named means with said body being treated, said rigid means preventing said nozzle from contacting said body and preventing the building up of said pressure in said nozzle to cause injury to said body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said last-named means is resiliently mounted on said aperture end of said nozzle to thereby form said escape means.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said last-named means has an inner surface which is of a cross-section between its opposite ends to thereby form a venturi, whereby ambient air is normally drawn into said escape means and adds to the gas flowing from said nozzle.

4. Air outlet means for an air jet massage apparatus comprising, an elongated nozzle defining an aperture at one end thereof for directing air in a predetermined direction at a part of the body being treated, a sleeve adapted for connection at one end thereof to a source of compressed gas, said nozzle having its other end telescopically mounted relative to said sleeve, resilient means normally urging said nozzle outwardly relative to said sleeve, means for limiting the outward movement of said nozzle relative to said sleeve, and gas escape means opened only when said nozzle is urged inwardly in said sleeve against the action of said resilient means from its normal outwardly urged position for permitting said gas to flow through said escape means rather than through said aperture of said nozzle.

5. The air outlet means of claim 4 wherein said escape means comprises an aperture in said sleeve and an aperture in said nozzle, said apertures being aligned to provide a through aperture from the interior of said nozzle to the outside ambient air only when said nozzle is urged UNITED References Cited by the Examiner STATES PATENTS Hasbrouck 128- 40 Kellogg 128'-'38 X Peterson r 12837 Lockett 12840 6 2,962,022 11/1960 Courtin 128-38 2,985,384 5/1961 Martin W 239-42 X 3,058,461 10/1962 Courtin 12838 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,235,527 5/1960 France.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE W. TRAPP, Assistant Examiner. 

1. AIR OUTLET MEANS FOR AN AIR JET MASSAGE APPARATUS COMPRISING, A NOZZZLE ADAPTED AT ONE END FOR CONNECTION TO A SOURCE OF COMPRESSED GAS, SAID NOZZLE AT ITS OTHER END DEFINING AN APERTURE FOR DIRECTING AIR IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION AT A PART OF THE BODY BEING TREATED, SAID DEFINED APERTURE BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER LENGTH IN ONE DIRECTION THAN IN THE TRANSVERSE DIRECTION, RIGID INTEGRAL MEANS SOLIDLY ATTACHED TO SAID OTHER END OF SAID NOZZLE AND PROJECTING AHEAD OF SAID NOZZLE A DISTANCE SEVERAL TIMES GREATER THAN SAID TRANSVERSE DIRECTION AND PROJECTING AT LEAST OVER PART OF ITS PERIPHERY DOWNSTREAM OF SAID APERTURE, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS DEFINING A WIDE ESCAPE MEANS FOR THE ESCAPE OF GAS AT LOW PRESSURE AROUND AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID APERTURE SO AS TO PERMIT SAID GAS TO FLOW IN A DEFLECTED DIRECTION HAVING AT LEAST A COMPONENT OPPOSITE TO SAID PREDETERMINED DIRECTION FOR AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID TOTAL GAS FLOW BUT ONLY WHEN SAID NORMAL GAS FLOW IS SUBSTANTIALLY BLOCKED BY PRESSURE CONTACT OF SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS WITH SAID BODY BEING TREATED, SAID RIGID MEANS PREVENTING SAID NOZZLE FROM CONTACTING SAID BODY AND PREVENTING THE BUILDING UP OF SAID PRESSURE IN SAID NOZZLE TO CAUSE INJURY TO SAID BODY. 